It's the time of year when I start my gig as a pro-bono Halloween costume consultant. I'm having difficulty deciding what the best look is for one potential client.

On the one hand I think Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox should dress as a Li’l Devil. Red, after all, is a “power color” and as one half of this county’s political influence-wielding husband and wife team, Cox wears that color with natural aplomb.

Then again, if she wants to keep in line with her education background, maybe she’s better off dressing as a school girl a la Britney Spears’ “Oops I did it again” period, or Van Halen’s foxylicious professor in their “Hot for Teacher” video.

If you’re picking up on a naughty theme, there’s good reason.

Not long ago Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric Tweeted, “Republicans shouldn’t vote for Democrats!” (@TonyKrvaric). Given that Cheryl Cox has endorsed Democrat Pamela Bensoussan in her bid to win reelection to the City Council (over fellow Republican Larry Breitfelder), it’s reasonable to assume Cheryl will vote for Pam. But if she does, would that make her a bad Republican? Is working to put a member of the opposite party into office in turn making Cheryl a naughty member of the GOP? (And what about her husband Greg? The Republican County supervisor and his wife signed a letter endorsing Bensoussan. Is he in danger of losing his Republican cred?)

It’s not the first time Cheryl Cox has strayed from traditional Republican values. She has twice supported efforts to increase or expand taxes in Chula Vista. In both instances, each proposition failed. Could Chula Vista’s top elephant in fact be a R.I.N.O instead? Most likely not.

But her endorsement of Bensoussan is an interesting aside in an otherwise lackluster campaign that’s been short on delivering substantial answers to voters.

Traditionally city council races are non-partisan afffairs and a candidate’s party affiliation is not inlcuded with their name on the ballot. But the days of true non-partisan politics is as long gone as the grassy knolls that used to mesmerize motorists driving along Telegraph Canyon Road.

Republicans and Democrats have core beliefs that draw them to their parties. For one to support the other suggests there are shared values (aside from love of country and city and other feel-good rhetoric). What those commonalities are might be of interest to voters and worth thinking about.

I’m leaning toward advising Cheryl to dress as a Li’l Devil. At least that way she’ll have a pitchfork to carry around — she can use it to stick it to anyone who gets in her way or tells her what she shouldn’t do.